Anyone who has ever been fortunate enough to experience life
in a college dorm knows the cramped spaces of on-campus living aren't exactly
conducive to a smooth friendship between roommates.

Now, imagine if one of those roommates was two-time national
champion Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron. Then, imagine if the other
roommate was Heisman-winning Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, who just
so happens to be responsible for ruining McCarron's perfect 2012 season.

Well, this hypothetical odd couple became a reality this
weekend thanks to the Manning Passing Academy where the two Southeastern
Conference quarterbacks are camp counselors for the four-day skills camp held
at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. And college
football fans know that SEC rivalries make dorm rooms look like 5-star
resorts when it comes to friendships among rivals.

But, despite the quarterbacks' differences on the field,
Manziel said he considers the player he'll spend all of the 2013 season
battling for conference and national bragging rights a friend off the field so
much so that Manziel said he wanted to room with McCarron this
weekend.

"(McCarron is) just a good guy and he's a good quarterback
on top of that," Manziel said. "Two championships--he's done a lot at Alabama.
I think his first interception of the year was against us and he had two. He's just
a really solid quarterback and a really solid guy, and I enjoy being around him."

Manziel said he and McCarron typically keep their
on-the-field activities out of their off-the-field conversations. The two
discuss how each other's families are doing and how off-season workouts are
going instead.

He did add, however, that McCarron spent part of the
first night of the camp mocking him about the now-famous bobble pass from Texas
A&M's 29-24 victory against Alabama.

Manziel became the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy
last season, throwing for
3,706 yards and 26 touchdowns, and running for another 1,410 yards and 21
touchdowns.

McCarron got the last laugh, though, when he
hoisted his second crystal ball in as many seasons for Alabama.

But last season was
last season and this season the pair again will face a conference that boasts several top-25 teams heading into week one. McCarron's team is No. 1 in many polls, but he knows any team can be this season's Texas
A&M and knock them off.

"You never know in the SEC. There's so much talent,"
McCarron said. "To me, from top to bottom, everybody is good week-in and week-out, and somebody can step up and beat you or you can slip up and lose. You have
to take each week seriously."

LSU could be that team, and though the Tigers will travel to Tuscaloosa, McCarron said he isn't
looking forward to the home-field advantage as much as people might expect.

"It's going to be fun," McCarron said. "I love playing in
Tiger Stadium; I wish we were playing there, but it'll be fun. It'll probably
be a sellout crowd at Bama. It'll definitely be a fun game to be a part of.
It's my last go around."

McCarron may be on his way out of the college-football
ranks, but Death Valley will be getting its first look at Manziel when the
Aggies roll into town in November.

The sophomore said he's looking forward to playing in Tiger
Stadium for the first time, but showed a bit of uneasiness in knowing what lies
ahead for him in Baton Rouge.

"You just hear about it," Manziel said. "It's Tiger stadium,
it's intimidating, it's a big place, it's loud and they play really good there.
We need to go in there and play really solid and try to put together a
win."

Manziel and McCarron will see each other again on the field
on Sept. 14 in College Station, Texas. The Tigers travel to Alabama on Nov. 9,
while the Aggies visit Baton Rouge two weeks later on Nov. 23.